Twelve Unlikely Heroes: A Review

I recently received a review copy of Twelve Unlikely Heroes: How God Commissioned Unexpected People in the Bible and What He Wants to Do with You by John MacArthur.  As the title suggests, the author explores the lives of 12 heroes from the Bible, heroes who were flawed and imperfect, but still were used for God's purposes, to further God's kingdom.  Each of the 10 chapters explores, in depth, one or two unlikely heroes, giving the reader a deeper understanding of the culture and history of the time, making each hero seem more real and relevant.

I was excited to read this book. I mean, did you see that subtitle? "What He Wants to Do with You"? Any word from God about what I should be doing is welcome.  I was disappointed that Mr. MacArthur spent most of his time fleshing out the heroes, making them real, and only a few paragraphs about what that could mean to me in my life (I guess he was thinking I could figure it out for myself--I was looking for a bit more guidance). 

Because it wasn't what I was expecting, it took me a while to get into this book--Mr. MacArthur's writing seemed dry to me, and while the information was fantastic, and I love learning about Bible history, it was tough going.  I did end up enjoying the book, once I gave up my preconceived idea that my purpose would be revealed in its pages.  I particularly identified with a few of the heroes, including Jonah and Ester.

I conclusion, I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys exploring Bible history and culture, and those who would gain encouragement from these examples of real, flawed humans who were used by God to do amazing things.



Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.